An imaging spectrometer and method are provided. In one example, the imaging spectrometer includes foreoptics positioned to receive electromagnetic radiation from a scene, a diffraction grating positioned to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the foreoptics and configured to disperse the electromagnetic radiation into a plurality of spectral bands, each spectral band corresponding to a diffraction grating order of the diffraction grating, and a single-band focal plane array configured to simultaneously receive from the diffraction grating overlapping spectra corresponding to at least two diffraction grating orders.

The present invention relates to a lamella grating interferometer capable of being employed in a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer, the interferometer including a reflective surface in a circular shape and provided with a fixed portion including fixed mirrors and a movable portion including movable mirrors that are arranged with the fixed mirrors in a crossing manner to form a lamella structure with the fixed mirrors, a plurality of driving units disposed at outside the reflective surface and configured to apply driving forces for moving the movable portion, and a plurality of driving arms connecting the driving units to the movable portion of the reflective surface, respectively, and configured to move the movable portion in response to the driving forces applied by the driving units, wherein each of the plurality of driving arms is formed in a structure of repeating a preset bent shape plural times.

A method and apparatus for actuating an acousto-optical component for manipulating light passing therethrough, in particular for manipulating the illumination and/or detection light in the beam path of a microscope, preferably a laser scanning microscope, where the illumination and/or detection wavelength is adjusted by means of at least one frequency generator connected to the acousto-optical component and controlling the manipulation, the frequency generator generates a signal which generates a spectral spread for the intensity distribution of the wavelength of the illumination and/or detection light for ensuring a temperature-independent manipulation. Actuation is effected by two or more actuation signals in such a way that two or more overlapping and/or superposing main lobes of the transfer function of the acousto-optical component or main maxima are generated.

The present invention relates to a lamella grating interferometer capable of being employed in a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer, the interferometer including a reflective surface in a circular shape and provided with a fixed portion including fixed mirrors and a movable portion including movable mirrors that are arranged with the fixed mirrors in a crossing manner to form a lamella structure with the fixed mirrors, a plurality of driving units disposed at outside the reflective surface and configured to apply driving forces for moving the movable portion, and a plurality of driving arms connecting the driving units to the movable portion of the reflective surface, respectively, and configured to move the movable portion in response to the driving forces applied by the driving units, wherein each of the plurality of driving arms is formed in a structure of repeating a preset bent shape plural times.

Novel monolithic cyclical reflective spatial heterodyne spectrometers (CRSHS) are presented. Monolithic CRSHS in accordance with the invention have a single frame wherein a flat mirror, roof mirror, and symmetric grating are affixed. The invention contains only fixed parts; the flat mirror, roof mirror, and symmetric grating do not move in relation to the frame. Compared to conventional CRSHS known in the art, the present invention enables much smaller and lighter CRSHS, requires less time and skill for maintenance, and is a better economic option. The disclosed invention may include fixed field-widening optical elements or a fiber-fed assembly.

Systems and methods for miniature spatial heterodyne spectrometer (SHS) systems are described. Methods for optimizing the miniature SHS systems can reduce the sizes and format while achieving high sensitivity and detection quality. The miniature SHS systems can be deployed for handheld use in real-world or remote activities outside of research or diagnostic facilities.

Infrared spectrometer and method of performing infrared spectrometry. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of providing a first single pixel detector sensitive to infrared light in a first spectral range; providing an entrance slit for receiving an infrared light signal; disposing a moveable encoding mask between the entrance slit and the first single pixel detector for encoding based multiplexing, the moveable encoding mask comprising at least three adjacent coding sections along an encoding moving direction thereof, each coding section comprising the same coding pattern in a cyclic manner such that a last encoding step of one encoding section is the same as a first encoding step in a next encoding section step; disposing a dispersion and imaging optics between the entrance slit and the moveable encoding mask for dispersing the infrared signal and for imaging the dispersed infrared signal onto the moveable encoding mask; disposing a collection optics between the moveable encoding mask and the first single pixel detector for collecting an encoding based multiplexed version of the infrared signal onto the first single pixel photodetector; selectively allowing only one of at least first and second bands within the first spectral range to be imaged onto respective ones of the coding sections excluding a first coding section along the encoding moving direction of the moveable encoding mask, in a starting position of the moveable encoding mask; and moving the moveable encoding mask in the encoding moving direction for the encoding based multiplexing.

Methods, devices and systems for confocal microscopy of human tissues or other samples are described that can be manufactured at a low cost, and are small and portable. One apertureless confocal microscope includes a dispersion element that produces output beams having different spectral components for illumination of a target, such as a tissue. The confocal microscope also includes one or more lenses that receive reflected beams from the target and focus the reflected beams onto a linear variable filter. The linear variable filter is positioned to receive the focused light to allow a particular range of spectral components of light to pass through the linear variable filter that is a function of a spatial location of the focused light incident on the linear variable filter. The described confocal microscopes, among other features and benefits, can greatly facilitate disease diagnosis in medical applications.

An imaging spectrometer and method are provided. In one example, the imaging spectrometer includes foreoptics positioned to receive electromagnetic radiation from a scene, a diffraction grating positioned to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the foreoptics and configured to disperse the electromagnetic radiation into a plurality of spectral bands, each spectral band corresponding to a diffraction grating order of the diffraction grating, and a single-band focal plane array configured to simultaneously receive from the diffraction grating overlapping spectra corresponding to at least two diffraction grating orders.

The present invention provides an image sensor, including: a sensor array layer formed of a plurality of normal sensor units and a plurality of spectrometer sensor units; a first guided mode resonance (GMR) structure having a first grating pitch and disposed on the sensor array layer to cover N (where N is an integer) of the spectrometer sensor units; a second GMR structure having a second grating pitch and disposed on the sensor array layer to cover N of the spectrometer sensor units; and a plurality of color filter units disposed on the sensor array layer to cover the normal sensor units.